Leucanthemum plant named ‘Mount Hood’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct Leucanthemum plant provided herein is characterized by double daisy type inflorescences, pale yellow flower buds and young ray florets, fully open inflorescences display numerous white ray florets with cut and notched tips around a moderate, partially filled yellow gold disc, excellent bloom size, excellent compact habit, and excellent vigor.

Botanical denomination: Leucanthemum x superbum.

Variety designation: ‘Mount Hood’.

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Leucanthemum x superbum and given the cultivar name ‘Mount Hood’. Leucanthemum is in the family Asteraceae. This new cultivar originated from a controlled cross between unnamed, proprietary Leucanthemum x superbum seedlings. The seed of many crosses was massed so the exact parents are unknown.

Compared to Leucanthemum ‘Bridal Bouquet’, U.S. Plant Pat. No. 24,260, the new cultivar is slightly taller and the inflorescences are larger, and more double.

This new Leucanthemum cultivar is distinguished as unique with its:

-   -   1. very double daisy type inflorescences,     -   2. pale yellow flower buds and young ray florets,     -   3. fully open inflorescences display numerous white ray florets         with frilly tips around a small yellow-gold disc,     -   4. excellent bloom size,     -   5. an excellent, compact habit, and     -   6. excellent vigor.

This new cultivar has been reproduced only by asexual propagation (division and tissue culture). Each of the progeny exhibits identical characteristics to the original plant. Asexual propagation by division and tissue culture using standard micropropagation techniques with terminal and lateral shoots, as done in Canby, Oreg., shows that the foregoing characteristics and distinctions come true to form and are established and transmitted through succeeding propagations. The present invention has not been evaluated under all possible environmental conditions. The phenotype may vary with variations in environment without a change in the genotype of the plant.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 shows an 18-month-old plant growing in the ground in full sun in the trial field (in mid-July) in Canby, Oreg.

FIG. 2 shows a close-up of the inflorescences.

DETAILED PLANT DESCRIPTION

The following is a detailed description of the new Leucanthemum cultivar based on observations of an 18-month-old specimens growing in the field in full sun under typical outdoor conditions in Canby, Oreg. Canby is in Zone 8 on the USDA Hardiness map. Temperatures range from a high of 95° F. in August to an average of 32° F. in January. Normal rainfall in Canby is 42.8 inches per year in the trial fields in Canby, Oreg. The color descriptions are all based on The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart, 5^(th) edition, 2007.

-   Plant:     -   -   Type.—Herbaceous perennial.         -   Hardiness.—USDA Zones 5 to 9.         -   Size.—39 cm wide and 40 cm tall to top of inflorescences.         -   Form.—Basal clump.         -   # crowns.—13.         -   Vigor.—Excellent. -   Stem (flowering):     -   -   Type.—Ascending with thick, strong stems.         -   Number of stems.—About 13 stems from the crown, each             flowering with 5 to 14 flowers per stem.         -   Size.—Grows to about 34 cm tall to a terminal inflorescence             and 7 mm wide at base.         -   Internode length.—2 cm to 4 cm.         -   Surface texture.—Pubescent.         -   Color.—Green 137B. -   Leaves:     -   -   Type.—Simple.         -   Shape.—Lanceolate.         -   Arrangement.—Alternate.         -   Blade size.—Grows to 10 cm long and 30 mm wide.         -   Margins.—Coarsely serrate.         -   Apex.—Acute.         -   Base.—Clasping.         -   Surface texture.—Pubescent on both sides.         -   Venation.—Pinnate.         -   Petiole.—Sessile.         -   Color.—Topside Green N137B with main vein Green 137B, bottom             side Yellow Green 147B with main vein Yellow Green 147C. -   Inflorescence:     -   -   Type.—Composite on terminal stalked heads.         -   Number of inflorescences per plant.—About 60.         -   Size.—Grows to 10 cm wide and 11 cm deep.         -   Form.—Ray florets held upright when young, lower ray florets             reflex down with maturity, mature disc is mostly flat.         -   Bud (immature inflorescence).—15 mm wide and 11 mm deep, ray             florets held vertically and cupped inwards, White NN155C on             top.         -   Ray florets.—With 1 pistil and no stamen, about 90 in             number, about 75 normal sized, 15 being smaller near the             disc florets, tip 2 to 4 lobed (1 to 3 deeply parted             segments), margins entire, base attenuate, average size 3.5             cm long and 5 mm wide, glabrous on both sides; and Yellow             Green Group N144C when young maturing to White NN155D on             both sides; pistil 4 mm long, ovary 1.5 mm long, Yellow             Green 149D, style 2.5 mm long, White NN155B, 2-branched             stigma 0.5 mm long, Yellow 13D.         -   Disc.—Slightly concave becoming convex, becoming 10 mm deep             and 24 mm wide with maturity, Yellow Orange 15A.         -   Disc florets.—About 200 in number, each 6 mm long and 1.5 mm             wide; corolla tubular, 4 mm long and 1.2 mm wide, 5 lobed,             glabrous, Yellow 14B on top half and Yellow Green 145B on             the bottom half; pistil 1, 5.5 mm long, ovary 2 mm long and             Greyed Green 193D, style 2 mm long, Greyed Orange 168C, 2             branched stigma 1 mm long, Greyed Orange 163B; stamen 5 in             number, 4 mm long, filaments 2 mm long, Greyed Green 193D,             anthers 1.5 mm Greyed Orange N163C, pollen Yellow Orange             21B.         -   Involucral bracts.—About 50 in number, in 3 imbricate             whorls, area 2.5 cm wide and 10 mm deep, lobes lanceolate,             grow to 7 mm long and 2.5 mm wide, Yellow Green 146B, margin             membranous and Brown N200A, tip acute, slightly pubescent on             backside and glabrous on inside.         -   Receptacle.—Grows to 16 mm wide and 4 mm deep, Yellow Green             146B.         -   Bloom period.—July through September in Canby, Oreg.         -   Fragrance.—None.         -   Lastingness.—Each inflorescence lasts about three weeks in             Canby, Oreg. -   Seeds: None seen. -   Fertility: Low. -   Disease and pests: The new cultivar is typical to the genus. No     known resistances to pests or diseases. No problems have been found     in Canby, Oreg. 

I claim:
 1. A new and distinct Leucanthemum plant as herein illustrated and described. 